5 Ways to Become a Better Agent this Year

It’s a big responsibility to be an insurance agent. Your clients depend on you for advice and guidance to make sure that the things most valuable to them are protected. Earn that trust by striving to become a better agent in 2012.

1. Know What You Don’t Know
No one knows everything. By asking questions and delegating tasks to those better suited, you can focus on what you do well and produce the best quality results. This will help you produce results that are better than your competition.

2. Educate Yourself
As an insurance agent, you will be asked a multitude of questions by your clients. Being knowledgeable about insurance products and insurance law should never be underestimated. The more you know, the better you look.

3. Become Technologically Savvy
Technology is constantly changing, thereby changing the way we live and work. But change is sometimes good and these advances have given insurance agents a new forum in which to compete with other agencies as well as to attract new clients. If you are not already familiar with concepts such as Google Adwords, PPC advertising (pay-per-click), social media and SEO, take some time to read up on it and try these tactics for yourself. Agents who incorporate new technology into their business will remain competitive.

4. Brush Up on Your Customer Service Skills
Being an insurance agent isn’t just about selling. It’s about retention, too. Everyone knows that keeping existing business is cheaper than acquiring new business, so keep your clients happy by providing the level of customer service that you yourself would desire. Remember - good service will build a book of satisfied clients that can lead to referrals.

5. Show your Clients that You Appreciate Them
Showing appreciation in the insurance world is important. After all, your clients don’t all necessarily know how much you know, but they can plainly see how much you care. Checking in on clients through friendly phone calls, sending birthday cards and other such actions are simple to do but can yield high appreciation.